Mechanical football game



Dec. 9, 1924- 1,518,817

c. L. RICH MECHANICAL FOOTBALL GAME Filed March 27. 9 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec.- 9, 1924. 1,518,817

C. L. RICH MECHANICAL FOOTBALL GAME Filed March 27, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6. L. Rick 4M7 Ti 7, 611 0111211:

Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES CLARENCE L. RICH, 0F SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

MECHANICAL FOOTBALL GAIME.

Application filed. March 27, 1923. Serial No. 628,056.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLARENCE L. Bron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux Falls, in the county of'Minnehaha and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Football Games, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a game, in iniitation'of football.

The invention aims at providing a board to be placed on a table, and upon which a football field is represented, so that a. game may be played by two opponents, following practically the same rules as are used .in the real football game. The field is accordingly divided into sections, representing tenyard sections in the football field, and provided with goals and obstacles for the ball approaching the goals.

In the acompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention is illustrated; and

Figure 1 rep-resents a plan view of the game board partly in section;

Figure 2 is a transverse section along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a tube for guiding the ball; and

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of different kinds of obstacles or hazards which are placed in the path of the ball.

In the drawing reference numeral 110 represents a board, a suitable size of which is about eighteen inches long by twelve inches wide and of sufficient 'thickness'for keeping the top surface level and smooth. In order to keep a ball from running off the board, a raised edge or fence 11 is placed on three sides thereof. This fence has a height of about one quarter of an inch above the surface of the board.

At the fourth side, as seen in Figure 1,

about five inches width of the board is taken up by a stationary chute 12 sloping from the outer or upper edge of the board in the direction of line 13 thereof. At each end of the board and about one inch from the edge thereof are-provided border lines 14 and 17, and a longitudinal border line 15 is similarly provided along the bottom edge of'the board, as seen in Figure 1. The space be tween lines 13 and 15'is divided into two fields A and B by a line 16 running in longitudinal direction of the board between the border lines 14 and 17; Transverse lines 18 ext n b t ee t e l nes 13 and. 15 and par= a-llel to the lines 14 and 17 dividing the space between the two latter lines into ten equal sections, each corresponding to about ten yards width on an actual football field. These spaces are numbered consecutively by tens from left to right, the numbers ranging from ten to one hundred, and upon the chute 12 corresponding lines 19 with similarly numbered fields are shown.

The field A has along each of the division lines 18 and near the longitudinal line 13, eleven guides 120, preferably made of wire with bent down ends stuck into the top of the board. The height of these guides above the surface of the board is about one quarter of an inch and the length of each guide about an inch and a half. Between these guides in the middle of each section, is placed a hazard or obstacle 21 in the shape of a V, as seen in Figure 5, having two diverting shanks 22 with hooked ends 23 for securing the obstacle in the board. The apex of this obstacle is placed about midway between the ends of the guides 120 and in exact medial position between two of them with the shanks 22 extending beyond the lower ends of the guides 120, as seen in Figure 1, and the apexes facing the chute 12. Other similar obstacles 24 are shown in the center of each field but nearer the longitudinal line 16 and constructed in the same manner, but approximately twice as long as the first named 0bstacle 21. These obstacles 24 point in the same direction as the obstacle 21, that is; to say, with their apexes toward the chute 12.

Between the large obstacles 24 and the longitudinally positioned lines 16 are placed eleven arcuate stops 26 extending across the division lines 18, with their ends meeting almost on the middle line of each section. That is to say, a small opening 140, which will not permit the ball 25 to pass between the stops 26, is centered between the ends of the shanks of the large obstacles 24. T hese arcuate stops are also provided with hooked ends 27 for securing them in the top of the board 110.

Ateach end of the field B is provided a gate or goal 29 placed on the border lines 14 and 17 respectively. The construction of these goals is best shown in Figure 2 and they are made with upright legs 130 for securing them in the top of the board in simi lar manner as the guides 120 and obstacles 21 and 24. The height under the goals is, however, greater than what is the case with the obstacles and guides so that the ball 25 can pass under them with ease and out beyond the border line or 17. Directly in front of each goal 29 are positioned a num ber of pegs 31 in the sections 1'0 and 100, three being shown in the drawings, and other pegs 32 are placed in the next fields and 90 respectively opposite the center of the spaces between the first pegs 31. On the division lines 18 between tlresections and L0, 50 and 60, and 70 and 80, and approximately in the center line of the field are positioned single pegs S3, all these pegs forming obstacles for the free passage of the ball along field B to either one of the goals 29.

The chute 1-2, as already described, slants inwardly from the top edge of the born-d110, as seen in Figure 1', and centrally in each section of the chute is furnished a small pocket 35 adapted to receive the ball From each pocket 35, a channel or passage 36 leadstlown to the top surface of the board intothe field A. These passages run parallel to the division lines 19- in the chute, so that the lower end of each passage faces the corresponding 'ap X-Of the smaller obstacles 21. Between the guides 120an d the longi- I tudinal line 13 is "placed an intermediate runway 45, the top face of which is inclined to f'or'in a continuation of the channels '36.

Referring articularly to Figure '3, this shows the guide tube or what might 'be'called a kick-0H? tube 37, which has a pair orf legs 39 forsupporti ng the tube on the' board, the lower end resting on the top thereof. The upper end of the tube is adapted to receive a ball 25 and the main inclination of the tube is approximately 25 gradually chang ing into horizontal at the lower end=of the tube. This kick-off tube is in'this manner loosely supported "on the board, so as to' be placed wherever the player selects in accordance with the rules *of the game, but this guide tube is not intended to be used elsewhere, but on the I field B.

The chute 12 has also an inclination of its passages of about 25 against the top surface ofthe board, but differs from the guide tube 37 by being stationary thereon. A ball placed in-"one oftho pockets 35 will thus roll down the channel or passage 36 in the chute and strike the apezrof the small obstacle 2L, so as to be diverted froi'1'1 itssti"aiglit course I either to the right -'or*the leftof the obstacle the aim of the player being to have'the ball pass from the section into which it is played, into the next section ahead or towards the goal a' t the opposite end of the field'from which his playetarts.

The rules of the game may be as follows. The =ga1ne is intei'ide'd to be played by two op 'o'one'nts, one starting from each end of the board, so that the player at the end of the board where the i be'r lO section is situatedaai'rns at reachin the goal 29"pl'ac'ed at the end of the section marked 100, and his opponent plays in the opposite direction, aiming to reach the goal 29 at the end of section 10.

The game is started by placing the guide or kick-off tube 37 on the line between sections 50 and 60. Wherever the ball stops or passes out of bounds the play is ended for the starter and his opponent takes the ball. He may then play either through the chutes or he can also use the guide tube 37 as he selects, but the ball must be played from the section where it stopped. If he plays from the chute he has the privilege of dropping the ball four times into the pocket of the section in question, but if using the tube 37 for punting he can only drop the ball once. Failure of the player to make the next section in four tries reverts the. ball to the opponent to be played by him from the same position. lVhen the ball .is printed, the opponent plays the ball from Whatever position it has stopped or gone out of bounds. If it has punted past the goal line, the opponent takes the-ball to the hole -35of the 20-yard section with ten yards to go. After making a touchdown through the chutes, the winner has the privilege of scrimmage from the 20-yardline The following points may be gained during the play: i

F or touchdown, 6 points,

For goal, 3 points,

For kick-off? from touchdown, 1 point.

It is evident that other rules and different points for marking :may be used in the course of the play.

Having thuSdesci'ibed the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A game board having a field subdivided by lines into sections, a stationary chute having-a passage foreach ofsa id sections :and in straight atl i neinerit therewith, a nduneans for defiectinga ball falling into one of said sections from said chute into another of the sections over *said lines.

game board having a level field-subdivided by lines into sections, a stationary chute having a passage for each of said sections and in straight alineinent therewith, said .p- "sages having an inc ation' against thesurface'cf the field. and be adapted to receive a ball 'to pass the same into a con responding section of the field, and means for deflecting f said ball from said section to aeen't sections over said lines.

3. A game board having Ja'substantially level field sub-divided by parallel lines into sections, a stationary chuto "along one side of said field havi'n a passage "for each of said sections and in straight alinenrent llll therewith, said passages having an inclin'ation against the surface of theifield and being adapted "to receive .a ball to pass the same rate a corresponding section, and

means for deflecting said ball from said section to adjacent sections over said lines, the other sides of said field being enclosed by border lines.

a. A game board having a substantially rectangular field sub-divided by parallel lines into sections of uniform width, a sta tionary chute along one side of said field having a passage for each of said sections and in straight alinement therewith, said passages having an inclination of subst-antially 25 against the surface of the field and being adapted to receive a ball to pass the same into a corresponding section, the other sides of said field being surrounded by border lines, said field having guide mem bers along said parallel division lines between the sections, and vedge-shaped obstacles situated medially between said guide members and pointing in the direction of said chute passages.

5. irgame board having a substantially rectangular field sub-divided by parallel lines into sections of unifori 1 width, a sta tionary chute along one side of said field having a passage for each of said sections and in straight alinement therewith, said passages having an inclination of substantially 25 against the surface of the field and being adapted to receive a ball to pass the same into a corresponding section, the other sides of said field being surrounded by border lines, said field having guide members along said parallel division lines between the sections, and obstacles including wire elements bent in wedge-shape placed medially between said guide members in each section and pointing toward said chute passages.

6. A game board having a substantially rectangular field subdivided by parallel lines into sections of uniform width, a stationary chute along one side of said field having a passage for each of said sections and in straight alinenient therewith, said passages having an inclination of substantially 25 against the surface of the field and being adapted to receive a ball to pass the same into a corresponding section, the other sides of said. field being surrounded by border lines, said field having guide members along said parallel division lines be tween the sections, obstacles including wire elements bent in wedge-shape placed medially between said guide members in each sec tion and pointing toward said chute passages, and a series of arcuately shaped stops placed across said parallel division lines, the ends of said stops substantially meeting medially in said sections.

7. A game board having a substantially rectangular field sub-divided by parallel lines into sections of uniform width, a stationary chute along one side of said field having a passage for each of said sections and in straight alineinent therewith, said passages having an inclination of substantially 25 against the surface of the field and being adapted to receive a ball to pass the same into a corresponding section, the other sides of said field being surrounded by border lines, a goal element placed'in each of the outermost sections of said field, and pegs placed in staggered relation in some of said sections between said goal elements.

8. A ame board having a substantially rectangular field sub-divided by parallel lines into section of uniform width, a stationary chute along one side of said field having a passage for each of said sections and in straight alinement therewith, said passages having an inclination of substantially 25 against the surface of the field and being adapted to receive a ball to pass the same into a corresponding section, the other sides of said field being surrounded by border lines, a goal element placed in each of the outermost sections of said field, pegs placed in staggered relation in some of said sections between said goal elements, and a guide tube erected upon said field so as to be selectively positioned in any of said sections for directing a ball passing through the tube toward one of said goals, said guide tube having an inclination of substantially 25 against the surface of the field.

9. A game board divided into a first and a second field subdivided into an equal number of sections, each section on the first field registering with a corresponding section on the second field, a stationary chute having corresponding passages, each passage registering with a particular section of the first field, said passages having an inclination of substantially 25 against the top surface of the board and being adapted to receive a ball and to pass the same into a section of the first field, said fields being surrounded by border lines; the second field having a goal element placed in each of its outermost sections, guide pegs placed in staggered relation in some of said sections between said goal elements, a giilide tube detachably mounted on said second field so as to be selectively positioned thereon for directing the ball passing through the tube, said guide tube having an inclination with regard to the surface of the board of substantially 25; the first field having guide members between each section and obstacles placed medially on each section, said obstacles comprising wire elements bent in V-shape with the apex; facing the corresponding passages, and a series of arcuately-shaped stops placed across the division lines between said sections and terminating substantially in alinement with the apex of the corresponding obstacle.

the second the board and being adapted to vreceive a ball and to pass the same intoa section :of the first .field, said .fields ,beingsurrounded by border lines;- the second .field having a goal in veach of its outermost sectionS, guide pegs placed in staggered relation in some otsaid sections between said goal elements, a guide tube detachably mounted on said second fiell son-s to be selectively positioned thereon for directing the hall passing so through. the tube; said guide tube havingan inclinationiwith rcgard togthe surfac of the board oi? substantially the glirst field having guide members between each section and obstacles placed medially on each seebent in .v-shape with the apex facing vthe corresponding passage, and a series of arenately-shaped stops placed across vthe division lines between said sections ;and terminating substantially in alinement with the apex-of the corresponding \cbstacle, the sections of said fields being consecutively numbered.

11. A game board having field divided into sections v of substantially the same area, a stationary chute having passages,.,one stor each sectiomzsaid passagesehaving a suitable inclination for passing a .ball placed therein to itsparticular section,-,a borderspacabeing provided aroundsaid field, guide members betweenea ch section and in longitudinal direction thereof, and xv-shaped obstacles placed medially on each section with the apex facing the respective passage.

12. A game board having a jfield divided into section of substantially the same area, a-stationary chute having passages, one for each section :said passages havingra suitable inclination for passinga ball placed therein toits iparticularsection, aborder space being provided. around said field, guide members between each s tion and in longitudinal direotion thereof, obstacles placed medially on eachsection, said obstacles beingiof \l shapje with the apex facing itscorresponding passage, and accuately shaped stopsaacross the division lines between said sections.

lrntestimony whereof I aflixmy signature.

CLARENCE L, s v 

